Tim O'B1ien's "How to Tell a True War Sto1y" is part of a coUection of stories by the author entitled The T11ings They Carried. Although the ostensible subject of this particular short story is a...

Tim O'B1ien's "How to Tell a True War Sto1y" is part of a coUection of stories by the author entitled The T11ings They Carried. Although the ostensible subject of this particular short story is a series of events that may have actually happened, the subtitle of the entire collection is ''A Work of Fiction." "How to Tell a Tme War Story" begins with the explicit statement "This is m1e," but what sore of truth does it manage co convey? As you consider possible answers, please remember that the narr ator warns us, "In many cases a true war story cannot be believed. lf you believe it, be skeptical.'' Why is the issue of tnith so important to a story about what happens in war? Does O'Brien reaUy mean that there is no such thing as truth when we are talking about war? lf eveiything about war is subjective, is it ever possible for one person co judge another person's military conduct?